Yellow Flash: The Second Coming
by LuckyBug192
Summary: It was something he kept hidden for four years. No one, except the Hokage, knew. It was only when Mizuki hurt Iruka that he finally used it. A technique that left behind nothing but a yellow flash. / Fuuinjutsu!Naruto
1. Chapter 1

**Summary**

It was something he kept hidden for four years. No one, except the Hokage, knew. It was only when Mizuki hurt Iruka that he finally used it. A technique that left behind nothing but a yellow flash. / Smart!Naruto Fuuinjutsu!Naruto

* * *

 _ **Things you should know:**_

 **-Naruto is smart and is a prodigy at Fuuinjutsu**

 **-He still retained his childlike attitude and outlook on things**

 **-He is still the 'dead last' of his class. Of course, of his own volition**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I own nothing. All rights go to Masashi Kishimoto**_

* * *

Naruto Uzumaki was always an inquisitive and observant child.

Ever since he was young, he would notice the glares and ire of the villagers-mostly, civilians-directed at him whenever he was around.

Thankfully, no one actually dared to inflict physical harm upon him lest they suffer the wrath of the Sandaime Hokage. They just tended to ignored him and act like he didn't exist or cast their glares at him, and the blonde boy did the same.

At first, he tried to ignore them. It didn't matter to him. The only people who mattered to him were the old man he knew as 'Jiji' and the nice father and daughter duo of Ichiraku Ramen, Teuchi and Ayame, who gave him free ramen every now and then.

There were Anbu stationed around him everyday. They never tried to communicate with him. He tried once but only received silence as a response. He tried to probe them with a stick once...they promptly took the stick away from him and threw it to who knows where. He also offered them food. Sadly, they didn't make a move to take it.

He gave up on trying to engage any form of communication with them.

* * *

When he was 6, Naruto would sometimes go to the playground and try to make friends, but over and over again the same things happened. He'd befriend one of the children, they'd talk and play a bit before their parents see them-or rather _him_ -and pull their child away from the 'Demon Brat'.

In the end, it was still the same. It would never change.

He'd always be alone.

* * *

At the age of 7, he gave up on trying to befriend anyone. He'd chat with a few of his classmates, mostly Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akamichi and Kiba Inuzuka, but they were merely aquaintances. Since he was an Academy student now, he had access to the Konoha Library-albeit still limited but still access nevertheless.

The librarian was an 'okay' person in Naruto's opinion. She would smile at him-not the fake ones-and allow him to borrow a few books. She even helped him read the difficult words!

She would often mumble " _Just like Minato..._ " under her breath, though, of course, she didn't know he could hear her. He often wondered who this 'Minato' fella was. He hoped he was as nice as the librarian.

During his first year at the Academy, he would spend every afternoon at the library. He would randomly select a book of any topic and only leave the library after he finished it, taking a detour more often than not to eat at Ichiraku Ramen.

There weren't many people who visit the place. It was quiet and the scent of books strangely calmed the blonde boy. He was safe there. Away from all the glares and hate. Reading was one of the few things he treasured. It allowed him to escape the world for a few hours and travel to another alternate universe.

He would read all sorts of books. His personal favorite was 'The Tales of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi' written by one of the Sannin, Jiraiya, the Toad Sage.

It was because of that book that Naruto resolved that someday, like the main character of the book, he would bring peace to this world.

Coincidentally, the main character of the book and Naruto had the same name. Another factor that drove Naruto to enjoy the book. he would sometimes envision the main character as an older version of himself.

It helped him determine his dream.

Someday, he'll become Hokage, team up with all the Kages of the different shinobi villages and bring peace throughout the whole Elemental Nations.

* * *

It was an accident, really.

Naruto never meant to stumble upon a book on Fuuinjustu.

He was heading towards his usual seat, a small table at one of the corners of the first floor of the library, when he spotted a closed book lying on top of a wooden table.

He frowned. It was a known rule that you had to return the book you've read back to its proper shelf. He clicked his tongue. "They shouldn't depend on Librarian-san to clean up after them." He climbed up a chair and reached toward the book. He pulled it toward him and blinked. "Fuuinjutsu?" His eyes skimmed the plain cover-page. He blinked. "Jiraiya-san wrote this?"

He opened the book gingerly. There was a warning.

 **Fuuinjutsu is considered to be** **highly**

 **dangerous and risky.** **If done wrong or**

 **without proper supervision, it may lead**

 **to severe injuries and may even result**

 **in death.**

 **Please proceed with caution.**

A rational part of Naruto's brain told him to stop reading, but another part of him felt compelled and drawn to the book. His desire won out and he reluctantly flipped open another page. It was the Table of Contents. He turned to the next page.

 **Fuuinjutsu is a type of jutsu that seals objects, living beings, chakra, along with a wide variety of other things within an object. It can be used to restrict movement among many things.**

 **Fuuinjutsu is one of the most dangerous skills that can be acquired by a shinobi. Without the proper repercussions, it can lead to permanent injury, limb detachment, destruction of property, loss of the 5 senses and even death among many other things.**

 **Fuuinjutsu is only limited to the seal master's creativity.**

Naruto craned his head behind him. There were no signs of anyone near him. He took the book in his arms and brought it with him to his usual table.

There, he allowed himself to sink into the study of Fuuinjutsu. He soaked up knowledge like a sponge. His eyes skimmed through the symbols, letters and numbers with ease.

It was as if the knowledge was already implanted at the back of his head and all he needed to do was pluck them out and review.

The book he first chosen laid discarded at one end of the square table.

* * *

Unknown to him, the woman who worked at the library smiled.

' _You must be so proud of your son, Yondaime-sama._ '

* * *

"Ohayo, Jiji!" Naruto's exuberant voice could be heard down the hallway of the Hokage's office.

The Sandaime smiled, his eyes crinkling. "It's good to see you as well, Naruto-kun." He pushed aside the tower of paperwork on top of his table to get a better view of the Uzumaki. "How was the Academy?"

"It was great, Jiji!" He babbled on about his day and how it was so cool that Iruka treated him to Ramen even after his little fox mask stunt that scared the wits out of his few peers. "Hey, Jiji..." Naruto's voice suddenly quieted. The Hokage lifted a gray eyebrow at him, urging him to go on. He pulled out a book from his green backpack, that was set on the Hokage's desk, and opened to a folded page. "That's the Yondaime, right?" He pointed hesitantly at the image of Namikaze Minato from the old, stray Bingo book he found in one of the Training Grounds.

The wizened Sarutobi furrowed his eyebrows. "Where did you get this book?"

"I found it in one of the Training Grounds. So... _i_ _s_ he the Yondaime?"

"Yes. Indeed, he is."

Naruto chewed his lip. He looked up at the Hokage with big, blue eyes-innocent-looking but with a purpose. "Can I borrow a black marker?"

Hiruzen decided to humor the young boy and handed him one. he patiently waited for the young Uzumaki to finish whatever it was he was doing.

The young boy drew the book close to his chest and used his arm to shield anyone from seeing what he was drawing. After he was done, he hugged the book and tugged on the robes of his surrogate grandfather.

The man leaned forward and Naruto, after his eyes shifted from left to right, lifted the book off his chest and, almost as if it was a secret, gave the Hokage a peek of what he drew.

It was the Yondaime Hokage with three whisker marks on each cheek.

The Sandaime sucked in a breath.

"Kinda looks like an adult-me, don't you think?" Naruto asked his rhetorical question, his voice unusually subdued. "He's my dad...isn't he?" The old Sarutobi had to strain his ears to catch the last question.

Hiruzen looked at the blonde boy. He closed his eyes and signaled the ANBU guarding him to leave the room. He activated the privacy seals drawn around his office with a single hand sign. "I suppose it is time to tell you of your parentage..."

* * *

Naruto stared intently at the three-pronged kunai sitting on his table.

He copied the seal matrix on another separate scroll. He took out another scroll and wrote out the different symbols used.

He frowned. None of it made any sense.

 _The Hokage took out something from one of his desk's lower drawers. It was a three-pronged kunai marked with a strange seal. "This was your father's, the Yondaime's, kunai marked with a Hiraishin seal. I believe you are aware that it was that very seal that earned him his moniker the 'Yellow Flash'."_

Naruto was certain that the Sandaime handed him this because he believed that he could somehow decipher the strange technique formula.

He pursed his lips and decided it would be pointless if he didn't probe the seal. It was admittedly a dumb move but it wasn't like there was anything he could do that he was aware of.

He hovered his index finger on top of the seal and channeled a bit of chakra into the digit. He lightly pressed it on the technique formula. His eyes widened before he was suddenly thrown back.

* * *

The blonde boy was in a sewer lit only at a couple of intervals by burning torches. He observed his surroundings but couldn't make out where he was exactly. "Hello?" He called out, steadying himself after standing up.

There was no answer.

He placed one hand on the wall to his right and began trekking through the ankle-deep water. He trudged on for a while. The minutes he spent walking seemed like eternity.

He nearly deemed his travel pointless and was about to give up and return to where he started when he realized that there was a strange, almost malevolent chakra signature further down his path.

The sewer widened and he spotted horizontal bars lining one end of the huge area.

" **So my jailer finally decided to pay me a visit.** " A deep voice rumbled.

Naruto walked closer towards it, hoping to see who was behind the cage. "Who are you?" He called out.

It rumbled something incoherent which Naruto assumed was actually a chuckle. " **Who am I? _"_** Red eyes glowed ominously from behind the cage, contrasting with the darkness, accompanied by a wicked smile appeared. " **I am the Great Kyuubi no Yoko!** " One of its paws shout through the bars and tried to claw Naruto, stopping just a few feet of the blonde boy.

Naruto stumbled back at the fox's mighty roar. "K-Kyuubi?" He stuttered more out of surprise rather than fear. "But the Yondaime- _my dad_ -" He hastily corrected. "-killed you!"

" **Kill...?** " Its voice lowered slightly. Then all of a sudden it boomed, making the Uzumaki struggle to remain upright. " **A mere mortal can't kill me! I am more powerful than any of your so called Kage! I am all-powerful. I CANNOT BE DEFEATED!** "

Unfortunately, Naruto spoke before thinking. "Says the one who got sealed in me."

The Kyuubi all but shoved his face closer to the bars and glared at the blonde boy. " **Get. Out.** "

* * *

Naruto woke up, lying on the floor. His eyes darted to the clock hanging on his wall.

Not even a minute had passed. Strange.

He already suspected that he was the Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki. He tried to puzzle it out a few days after he discerned his father's identity.

It was actually just a twist of fate. He wanted to try a chakra exercise called 'water-walking'. His shirt was soak through and through so he decided to take it off, lo and behold a strange seal array appeared on his stomach when he channeled his chakra.

He'd read about Jinchuurikis and their Bijuus once so he knew almost automatically what the seal on his stomach meant.

But still, it was quite shocking for the 8-year old boy. After all, who wouldn't taken aback when they find out that a Nine-tailed fox resides in their stomach?

It answered nearly all the questions he had, actually.

The glares of the villagers. His birthday being on the same day as the Kyuubi Festival (In his opinion, naming the festival as such seemed like it was bring held in honor of the Nine-tails). Him being called the 'Demon Brat'. Parents being reluctant to let their children play with Naruto. Iruka's initial dislike and disregard of him. And-

A lot of other things actually.

He found it strange why he didn't piece it earlier.

Although Naruto being a Jinchuuriki sucked, he didn't mind as much as he originally thought.

It's just...being a Jinchuuriki gave him a lot-and he meant _a lot_ -of chakra. He's practically a chakra tank! In addition to his naturally large chakra reserves, he doubted he could ever end up dying of chakra exhaustion.

A Bijuu and its Jinchuuriki were stuck together until the host dies, so the Jinchuuriki will never be alone...well, unless for some inconceivable reason something pulls the Bijuu away. Though that'll likely not happen.

Another bonus is having quick regenerative healing.

But there was one thing Naruto was ecstatic about being a Jinchuuriki.

It meant that when people respect and admire him, it would be because he was _Naruto_. Not his father, the Yondaime, or his mother, the Red Hot Habanero. He would be praised for _his_ accomplishments.

And the best way to earn everyone's respect and trust would be to become a shinobi and protect everyone. He would recreate the Hiraishin seal and prove to everyone that even Naruto, the _dead last_ , can do something big.

He paused.

Actually, maybe befriending a certain fox won't be so bad as well. They were stuck together for life, they might as well be stuck together as _friends_.

But first...

Naruto stood up and continued his probing of the Hiraishin seal.

* * *

Success came to him after two months of hard work.

* * *

He failed the Graduation Exam...for the _third_ time. (Albeit the first two were just spent trying to get the gist of what the Graduation Exam entailed.)

He clenched the ropes of the swing he was sitting on tighter.

He was completely sure that he answered 65 out of a hundred questions correctly. Just enough to scrape a pass. His taijutsu was marked average.

He may have failed the Bunshin test but still...he should have been able to scrape a pass.

Unless...

He gripped the roped more tightly. Mizuki despised him. He most likely tampered with his grades.

'Stupid, Mizuki-teme...' Naruto thought glaring at his feet. Naruto always knew that there was something wrong with the chuunin ever since he first heard word of the guy disliking ramen.

He ignored the women whispering about him. They weren't exactly subtle with their whispering.

"There, do you see him?"

"It's that boy. I hear he's the only one who failed."

"Hmph! Well, it serves him right."

"Just imagine if he became a ninja. I mean he's the boy who-"

"Shhh! We're not aloud to talk about that!"

Naruto let out a breath of annoyance. He abruptly stood up and left without so much of a single sound.

* * *

He was unaware of the lavender-tinted eyes following his form, concerned.

' _Naruto-kun..._ '

* * *

Shikamaru Nara scratched the back of his neck. "Naruto didn't pass? Troublesome..."

"What do you mean, Shikamaru?" Choji Akamichi asked, chomping down his snack.

"It's nothing. Let's go, Choji." He walked off with his best friend in tow and headed towards one of his favorite cloud-watching spots.

' _What's your game, Naruto?_ '

* * *

Sasuke looked at the newly vacated swing.

' _N_ _aruto didn't pass?_ ' He scrunched his eyebrows. ' _Tch...Dobe._ '

He walked away his hands in his pockets, hiding the disappointment welling inside him-not that he'd ever admit it out loud.

The only one who could give him a challenge in taijutsu when he actually _tries_ didn't pass...

' _Annoying.._ '

* * *

' _Multiple Shadow Clone no Jutsu, huh?_ '

Naruto read the entry from the Forbidden Scroll. Just his luck. Clones... _again_.

Well...since Mizuki wasn't here yet. He might as well put the spare time he has to good use.

He looked at the foliage, moonlight illuminating it, then looked back at the scroll.

This was going to be a long night.

* * *

" _You need to come to Lord Hokage's right away! It's Naruto. He stole the Sacred Scroll!_ "

* * *

" **Alright. Bring Naruto here at once.** "

* * *

Iruka burst through the cluster of leaves. "It's all over!" He panted.

Naruto put up an act, rubbing his neck. "Looks like you caught me already. I already learned one technique. Does this mean I passed?"

"What?" Iruka ogled him in confusion, only then noticing the rips and scrapes his jumpsuit had. " _What_ test?"

"The test Mizuki gave me! He said that if I take this scroll-" He pointed at the Scroll slung across his back. "-and bring it here, I'll pass the test!"

"Test? What tes-" He was interrupted by a few kunai stabbing his arms and legs. "Aghh!"

Mizuki loomed over them on one of the high branches. "I see you found our little hideaway."

"So that's the way it is, huh?" Iruka's eyes swam with betrayal. "I should've known!"

The white-haired chuunin knelt down. "Naruto! Give me the Scroll now!"

Iruka pulled out one of the kunai and threw it at Mizuki who side-stepped it. "Naruto, Don't let Mizuki get the scroll! It contains Forbidden Jutsu that can put the village in grave danger. Mizuki used you to get the Scroll for himself for his own power!"

"Naruto! Iruka is just trying to scare you 'cause he doesn't want you to have the Scroll."

"Stop lying Mizuki! Don't let him trick you, Naruto."

Mizuki laughed. "Oh, I'll tell you who's really lying."

Iruka stared at the traitor, his eyes alight with fear and knowledge of what his colleague was about to do. "No, Mizuki!"

Nevertheless, the chuunin-turned-traitor pushed on. "They've been lying to you your whole life, Naruto. Since the decree twelve years ago. Everyone knows except you! Iruka's trying to hide it from you even now. He'd do anything to shut me up!"

"Don't tell him! It's forbidden."

"The decree is no one can tell you that the Kyuubi is inside you! _YOU_ ARE THE KYUUBI!"

"MIZUKI!"

There was deafening silence, the two chuunin staring each other down, which was cut off by a yawn.

They stared at the blonde boy. "Are we done here?" He asked almost casually as if a bombshell hadn't been dropped. "It's getting late, you know..."

Mizuki eyed him incredulously. "Didn't you hear what I just said?"

Naruto stared at him with unreadable eyes. "Oh, I heard you alright. Loud and clear."

"Then, why...?"

"Baka," Naruto chastised him, hand inching it's way toward his kunai and shuriken holder, strapped on his right thigh. "Just because a kunai is sealed inside a scroll, it doesn't mean that the scroll _is_ the kunai."

Mizuki grit his teeth. "Brat...I'll just kill you then!" He threw two windmill shurikens toward the two loyal Konoha villagers.

Iruka threw himself in front of Naruto as a shield but Naruto beat him to it. He quickly did a cross-ram seal and summoned over a hundred Shadow Clones, surrounding Mizuki while two Clones stopped the incoming projectiles with their bare hands.

Iruka, from behind the two Naruto-clones, let out a quiet gasp. ' _Fast..._ '

"You tried to hurt Iruka-sensei," The original growled, walking forward. his eyes flashed red for a moment. "I guess I'll just have to return the favor!"

The clones surrounding Mizuki compressed, forming a barricade with no escape for Mizuki.

"You really think you could stop me?!" The white-haired man's eyes darted from left to right.

Naruto unsheathed a three-pronged kunai.

Time seemed to stop for a moment. Clouds covered most of the moon, casting a shadow across Naruto's face. His whisker marks were practically invisible. His steely blue eyes shone with brilliance, popping out of the shadows. The special kunai was held in a vice-grip in front of the blonde's face, the kunai glinting ominously.

Mizuki stumbled backwards and cowered in fear for a visage of the Yondaime Hokage had stood behind Naruto in the exact seem pose. His pupils shrunk in fear. "Y-Yondaime..." He whimpered out.

Then time resumed.

Naruto threw the kunai, just missing Mizuki's face by a few inches and disappeared in a yellow flash.

* * *

The blonde Jinchuuriki nursed the wounds of Umino Iruka. The man himself smiled fondly at the boy.

To think, that his student managed to recreate the Yondaime Hokage's prized jutsu. "I'm proud of you." He said.

The boy referred to paused in wrapping a bandage across Iruka's forearm and stared at the man with his big, blue eyes wide in disbelief. "What did you just say?"

Iruka placed a hand on the boy's head and ruffled his blonde locks. "I'm proud of you." He repeated. "You're definitely one of a kind. You always work hard and put your heart into everything you do. You may mess up a couple of times and everyone jumps on you yet still you persevere. You let your sufferings make you stronger. Now, close your eyes."

Naruto, who had by then been trying to hold back the tears but failing at his sensei's speech, followed suit. He felt cloth being wrapped around his head. The cold feeling of metal sinking pass the fabric and cooled his forehead.

"I'm proud to have had you as my student."

Naruto opened his teary eyes and lifted a hand to touch Iruka's hitai-ate-now, _his_. "Sensei..." He breathed out.

"Congratulations, Genin Naruto Uzumaki. You passed."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 _ **And that concludes the super long prologue.**_

 _ **It's quite boring right now but it'll pick up pace.**_

 ** _Would you prefer it if I wrote the Wave Arc? Or should I do it differently?_**

 ** _I just want to have the story hammered down until the Chuunin Exams._**

 _ **Comments and suggestions on my writing will be very much appreciated.**_

 _ **That's all. Ja ne!**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**_

* * *

"Hey," The photographer frowned at him. "Are you really going to take your picture looking like that?"

Naruto waved his arms in the air. "Just do it!"

The photographer let out an annoyed sigh and proceeded to take the picture.

 _SNAP!_

* * *

"Naruto..." The Sandaime stared at Naruto's registration picture. "What is this?"

The twelve-year old smiled. "What do you think, Jiji? Pretty cool, huh?"

The small twitching of the Hokage's eye was the only thing that expressed his annoyance. "Retake it."

"You're no fun!" He was about to spit out the verbal tic, ' _Dattebayo!_ ', that he always tries so hard to repress, but managed to stop from saying it out loud.

"Retake it." The village leader's voice stood firm.

"Aww," Naruto whined childishly, bouncing on the chair he was sitting on. "You're serious?!"

"Naruto..." The graying Sarutobi chided.

Naruto sighed in defeat. "Fine. Fine. I have a better picture here." He pulled out the formal picture he took after the little stunt he pulled. He was about to stand up when the slamming of the sliding door interrupted him.

"Hey, Jiji! Fight me!" A young brown-haired boy, holding a shuriken, ran inside the room in an attempt to 'take down' the Hokage. "The title of Godaime Hokage belongs to me: Konohamaru!" The boy failed, promptly stepping on his blue scarf and slamming his face on the floorboard. "Itai..." He cradled his face inside his hands, rolling back and forth on the floor.

Naruto blinked and lifted a hand towards the boy. "Hey, kid, are you al-"

A chuunin with dark, round glasses appeared at the doorway and cut the freshly-graduated genin. "Are you okay, young master?"

"Is this a trap?" Konohamaru groaned, sitting up.

"No, this isn't a trap." Ebisu answered, moving closer to the gray-eyed boy.

Naruto stared intently at the young boy. ' _Wait a minute...isn't he-_ "

The boy looked up and pointed his index finger at him. He moved towards the blonde and shoved his digit right in front of Naruto's face. "You! You're the one who tripped me."

Ebisu examined the orange-wearing boy with hidden disdain. ' _It's the Kyuubi brat._ '

"How could I trip you if I was standing _way_ over here?" The Uzumaki argued. "You tripped over your own scarf!" He grabbed the collar of the brunette and lifted him off the floor.

"Hey, let go of him!" The bespectacled Jounin shouted. "He is the grandson of Sandaime-sama!"

The Jounin confirmed Naruto's suspicions.

The young Sarutobi glared. ' _H_ _e stopped right after he found out that I was the grandson of the Hokage. He's just the same as Ebisu-sensei and everyone else._ '

"What's the matter?" Konohamaru questioned, smugness written all over his face. "Why don't you hit me if you can?! You're no match for the grandson of the Hokage!"

Naruto drew his face closer to snobby 8-year old. "Like I care about that!" He slammed his fist on the crown of the Sarutobi's head, stunning everyone in the room excluding the Hokage who watched the scene with mild interest and barely hidden resignation. "Baka!"

' _This guy..._ ' Konohamaru mused as his face once again kissed the floor.

There was a short pause.

"Nani?!" Ebisu stared at his knocked-out charge.

The Hokage sighed. "Oh, well..."

* * *

"You are the Sandaime Hokage's grandson." Ebisu lectured. "Even if he hit you, you cannot allow yourself to associate with a boy like him." He spread his arms apart. "No good will come out of dealing with him." He pointed his thumb at himself. "I, the elite sensei, Ebisu, am never wrong."

The 8-year old Sarutobi glared at the ground, his thoughts still stuck on the blonde that hit him without missing a beat.

Ebisu, unaware of Konohamaru's line of thoughts, continued on. "You wish to be the Godaime Hokage, right? If I teach you ninja techniques, it will be easy to gain the title of Hokage." He adjusted his shades, looking away. "Yes, the quickest path to be Hokage is to learn from me. Do you understand?" He returned his gaze to the 'Honorable-His head swiveled around. "He's gone!"

"It looks like he went to follow Naruto." The Sandaime Hokage told him, helpfully.

Ebisu immediately ran off to find the Hokage's grandson, leaving the old Sarutobi chuckling softly and silently fearing of the disaster that would surely come should one Naruto Uzumaki and one Konohamaru Sarutobi meet.

* * *

The young chuunin sitting beside the Sandaime Hokage, assigned to arrange the registration forms alphabetically, felt a migraine coming on.

Considering the fact that he just happened to work on the day the Hokage's grandson and the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki meet, he was surprised that he didn't have a full-blown headache.

' _This is what? The twentieth 'ambush' today?_ ' Yes, the silent chuunin kept a mental tally of the number of failed attempts at his Hokage's life courtesy of his very own grandchild.

He eyed the brooding Uchiha who had just entered the room. He looked as if he wanted to be anywhere but here.

He sympathized with the boy for he, too, felt the same way.

" _Shinobi have to endure._ " As a famous saying goes. But he totally begged to differ. All the crap he goes through today is _so_ not worth enduring.

He silently wondered if he could gather enough people to start a petition against the low-wage salaries that the shinobi who work in the Hokage Tower earn...

* * *

Naruto felt twitchy. He had managed to ignore it for the past ten minutes but it was becoming too much to bear.

"What do you think your doing?" He asked, irritated at the young brunette who was wrapped in a beige colored cloth. "Is that supposed to be a disguise?"

He received no answer. The blonde sighed and resumed his walking.

Footsteps echoed loudly behind him. ' _What is that brat doing_?'

He swiveled his head around. "What's your problem, dattebayo?!" His verbal tic slipped out. A tell-tale sign that he was greatly annoyed. "Stop following me." He stared at the 'disguise' of the Sarutobi. ' _Seriously?_ '

Konohamaru let out a laugh and lowered the cloth designed like a wooden fence that he held horizontally. "Nice job detecting me. I should've expected it from the guy I've heard rumors about." He walked towards Naruto and pointed his finger at him. "I won't mind being your follower."

Naruto blinked unintelligibly at him. "Huh?"

"But in return, you'll have to teach me that technique of yours that you used to defeat Hokage-jiji!"

"Technique...?" He asked, trying to recall what the Sarutobi was referring to. "Oh! You meant my Oiroke no Jutsu?"

"Yes! Teach me!"

Naruto let out a breath. "Look, kid." He scratched his head. "That jutsu is erm...inappropriate."

"Huh? What do you mean?!"

"I just created that jutsu 'cause I was bored and wanted to try something out. Plus, you're too young to learn that jutsu."

"I can handle it! I need to defeat Jiji!"

"Why do you want to beat him?" The question just suddenly surfaced in his mind.

"Because..." Konohamaru looked down and scuffed his feet against the ground. "Because when the villagers look at me, they only see the 'Honorable Grandson' of the Hokage. It's...I don't like it." He clenched his fist and pointed it towards Naruto. "When I defeat Hokage-jiji, everyone will stop seeing me as just the 'Honorable Grandson'."

The Kyuubi container nodded his head in understanding. "So you want the villagers to see you as yourself? Not by titles?"

Konohamaru nodded his head in resolution. "That's right! So will you teach me, Boss?"

"'Boss'?"

"Please, Boss! I'll do my best. I promise!"

Naruto bit his lips in hesitance but after a moment passed he gave the younger boy a nod. "Alright! I'll teach you."

* * *

After hours of arduous training, the two boys sat down on a log at the clearing, quenching their thirst.

"Hey..." Naruto looked questioningly at Konohamaru. "Is there any other reason why you're so obsessed with Hokage-jiji?"

Konohamaru looked down, tightening his grip on his canned drink. "Jiji gave me the name Konohamaru, taking it from our village's name." He paused for a beat. "But even if it's a name that everyone should've heard plenty of times, no one calls me that. Whenever anyone sees or calls me, they only see the grandson of the Hokage. No one recognizes me as an individual...I hate that."

Naruto sympathized with the boy for he, too, was only seen as the 'Kyuubi Jinchuuriki'.

"That's why I need to be Hokage _now_."

"Baka." The Sarutobi looked at his 'Boss' in surprise. "Hokage is not a title a kid can carry that easily."

"Nani?!" Konohamaru stood up. ' _Is he underestimating me?_ '

"It's not easy. If you want to be Hokage so badly...You need to defeat _me_ first!"

"Tch." A voice came from behind them. Ebisu stared at the Kyuubi container with condescending eyes. He jumped down from the tree branch he was perched on. "Now, young master, let us go home."

"No!" The said boy shook his head vehemently. "I'm going to defeat Jiji right now and get the title of 'Hokage'! Don't bother me!"

Ebisu strode forward. "'Hokage' is the title you can only receive when you understand the principles of morality, knowledge. loyalty and the ability to use more than a thousand techniques..."

"Oh, yeah?" Konohamaru challenged his instructor. "Take this!" He quickly henged into a naked woman with wisps covering the more...ahem...private areas. "Oiroke no Jutsu~~"

Ebisu stared at the mostly nude brunette, red staining his cheeks. "What an indecent technique!" He admonished, flailing back slightly. "I am a gentleman. I won't fall for such unbecoming jutsus!"

Naruto's eyebrow twitched. ' _Says the guy who's blatantly ogling..._ '

The transformation wore off and Ebisu tugged at Konohamaru's scarf. "You're only going to get dumber and dumber if you keep hanging around him!" He looked back at the Sarutobi. "The easiest path to become Hokage is to listen to me!"

"You're wrong." Naruto's voice permeated the air. His aura basically screamed 'authority' and begged for attention. He drew the eyes of his two companions. "You're wrong! There's no easy path in becoming Hokage. You have to work hard for it."

Konohamaru stared at Naruto with something akin to awe whilst the bespectacled Jounin reevaluated his opinion on the blonde, loosening his grip on the boy's scarf though still holding it.

Naruto continued on. "In order to become Hokage, you have to earn everyone's respect. You don't become one to _achieve_ everyone's respect. You can't be Hokage if nobody believes in you. I already have a few people who believe in me, but still I know I have a long way to go. You don't become Hokage with 'titles' you're given because of who you're related to." The blonde Jinchuuriki's thoughts drifted to his well-known and feared-by-most-shinobi parents. "In order to reach that position, you have to be prepared for the obstacles you'll face. It won't be easy, but all you have to do is persevere. You'll have to work hard and fight tooth and nail to gain everyone's trust and faith." He turned around. A daft of wind rustled the leaves, the only sound in the clearing. Naruto looked back. "And let me tell you..." His azure eyes lit up with determination and resolve, reminiscent of the late Yondaime Hokage. "There are no shortcuts to becoming Hokage!"

Konohamaru thought back to what Naruto had said earlier on. ' _If you want to be Hokage so badly...You need to defeat me first!_ ' His gray eyes hardened with resolution as he turned his back to the older genin. "Who do you think you are lecturing me all like that? I quit being your follower." He swung his head around and looked at the blonde straight in the eye, fire burning in his own. "We're rivals starting now!"

Naruto smiled determinedly at the boy. "That's right. One day, you and I will fight for the title of Hokage. But until then, I look forward to it, Konohamaru." He then started walking away.

Konohamaru's eyes widened at hearing his name being used instead of those titles people make use of all the time. He grinned back at the retreating Uzumaki. ' _Me too..._ '

' _Someday...I will defeat you! But until that time comes, I'll work my hardest to make everyone see me as Konohamaru notHokage-jiji's 'Honorable Grandson'. Just you wait Boss... **I'll become Hokage!'**_

* * *

Ebisu stared at the withdrawing form of one Naruto Uzumaki. Truly, he was Konoha's number-one unpredictable boy. ' _Ninja._ ' Ebisu corrected mentally. He had little to no doubt that with those wise parting words of the boy, he would definitely go far in the shinobi world. He wondered pensively what other things the boy was hiding underneath that sunny facade of his.

He admits that he was wrong with his initial opinion of the boy. Starting from then on, he would look at people not through their titles but through who they are.

His words rang in the Jounin's ears. Those words of sagacity were not the words of a loud-mouthed Academy student. Eyeing the blonde mop of hair slowly disappearing into the greenery of the forest, he concluded that perhaps the 12-year old Uzumaki knew more than he let on.

He fixed his gaze on his assigned charge who was staring at the blonde boy as if the boy himself was a hurdle he had to cross, which wasn't false.

' _Perhaps..._ ' Ebisu mused. ' _Naruto Uzumaki won't be a nuisance to the 'Honorable Grandson'. He might be a good influence..._ ' His nose scrunched up in distaste. ' _If he avoided using those unbecoming jutsus of his at least. Although...it_ is _a good distraction._ ' He admitted begrudgingly, trying to avoid letting his thoughts go astray.

"Shall we go home now, Honorable Grandson?" He addressed the child in front of him.

"It's Konohamaru." The boy corrected. "Just Konohamaru." The bounced on his heels."Let's go and train! I won't become Hokage just by standing around doing nothing. Let's go...Sensei." He hesitated to add the last word as he only had ever referred to the Jounin as 'Ebisu'.

Ebisu let a fleeting smile appear on his face. ' _A good influence, indeed._ '

* * *

The Hokage observed the entire fiasco from the safety of his glass ball.

"Naruto..." He started, cutting off the feed from his spying glass. "Your father would be proud." He recalled another technique that Naruto had shown Konohamaru before Ebisu had arrived at the clearing. His cheeks became dusted with red. "You're mother would kill you, though..."

The Harem no Jutsu...A scary and powerful technique indeed. A technique that hold the power to take down even the mightiest of Kage if utilized correctly.

The Hokage didn't hesitate to admit that the justu could most likely knock him out if used against him. But then again...what type of man wouldn't be taken down by the lewd solid henge?

Jiraiya, probably. He'd stay awake just long enough to jot down notes for his next Icha Icha Book.

* * *

Naruto sunk into his bed. His gaze darted to the calendar hanging in front of his bed. He allowed the small upturn of his lips.

Starting tomorrow...He'll be a ninja.

One step closer to becoming Hokage.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 _ **Thank you so much for the positive reviews! You guys have no idea how happy that made me.**_

 _ **So the pace hasn't really picked up yet but I can tell you that the next chapter will be the Bell Test and the chapter after that the Wave Arc.**_

 ** _So about the Wave Arc, I've decided to do a compressed version of it that will all be squeezed into one, probably long chapter._**

 ** _Also, I would just like to answer one of the reviews that asked if there will be bashing in this fanfic._**

 ** _I would just like to say that no, there will be no major bashing in this fic._**

 ** _I'd really appreciate constructive criticism and suggestions. (I'll definitely credit you if your suggestion catches my eye)_**

 ** _That's all. Ja ne!_**


	3. Chapter 3

Naruto blearily blinked his eyes open. He let out a yawn as he stretched and scratch his stomach. "What time is it?" He glanced at the clock.

...

"Gah! I'm going to be late!" For the life of Naruto, despite his brilliance, he always had a hard time waking up and actually be on time for the Academy.

He hastily showered and changed into his orange jumpsuit, donning his hitai-ate soon after. Even he, himself, didn't understand why he loved the color.

It was horrible for stealth, although it taught him how to hide from chuunin to even ANBU-leveled nin. The color was an eye-sore, but it helped him gain attention which, in all honesty, he didn't necessarily need.

He grabbed a piece of toast and stuffed it in his mouth. He then all but threw himself out the door, barely remembering to turn around and lock the door.

He raced toward the Academy and slammed the door open. "I'm here!" He announced loudly.

He blinked.

Nobody was there yet. He walked over to his desk and sat down. Where was everybody? He fixed his gaze on the wall clock in the classroom.

His eye twitched and he promptly slammed his head on his wooden desk. He completely forgot that he set his time an hour early just in case. "Is there such a thing as a stupid prodigy?" He grumbled to himself, face still kissing the desk. "Or am I the first one?"

He sighed, lifting his head. He got a piece of paper and hovered a pen above it. Maybe he can just draw random scribbles...

* * *

When Hyuuga Hinata arrived twenty minutes after, she bit back a squeak of surprise at watching her blonde crush scribble furiously on a piece of paper.

She walked towards her seat and sat down quietly, not making a single sound.

Naruto hands slowed down as he batted his eyelids. He looked back and offered the Hyuuga heiress a wide smile. "Ohayo, Hinata!"

Hinata's eyes were blown wide open as red slowly colored her cheeks. "O-Ohayo, N-N-Naruto-kun..." She stuttered out.

The boy smiled, ignoring her stutter. He looked back at his work, frowning slightly.

Hinata sighed looking down at her lap. ' _Why am I so pathetic? I can't even say a proper 'Good morning'._ '

* * *

Slowly the newly-graduated Academy students trickled into the classroom, but not before pausing abruptly at the doorway to ogle the blonde Uzumaki who was drawing random squiggly lines and symbols on a sheet of paper with the greatest amount of concentration that they've ever seen him possess. His desk was scattered with paper full of indiscernible scrawls.

 _The_ Uzumaki Naruto? _Early_?

Even Sasuke Uchiha had to do a double-take.

The boy in question, on the other hand, didn't seem to notice the amount of attention he was gaining, too immersed in whatever he was doing.

Uchiha Sasuke headed to his usual seat which coincidentally was only one seat apart of the class' dead-last.

"Oi!" Inuzuka Kiba shouted. "What're you doing here? You didn't pass the Exams!"

The brown-haired boy was ignored. A tick marked developed at his temple. "OI!"

Naruto was brought out of his intense focus. "Huh?" He blinked a couple of times, not really registering who was standing beside him. "Kiba? What is it?"

"I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET YOUR ATTENTION!"

"Okay..." Naruto gathered the pieces of paper and started stacking them in a neat pile. "So?"

"What's a dead-last like you, who didn't even pass the exams, doing here?"

"I passed." Naruto answered, pointing at his hitai-ate strapped on his forehead.

Kiba just let out a dubious 'Hmph' before going to his seat.

Shikamaru and Choji shared a glance.

The Nara muttered his signature catchphrase. "Trying to puzzle out Naruto is much more trouble than its worth..."

Naruto was about to recheck the seals he made and modify some, when he was cut off by two shrill voices. The classroom door slammed open as two kunoichi pushed each other to get in the room.

"I win again, Sakura!" The platinum blonde girl announced.

"What are you talking about? My toe entered the class before yours by a centimeter!" The pink-haired girl said, glaring at the purple-clad kunoichi.

"Are you blind?"

Naruto shifted his cerulean eyes to the girls. ' _They're so loud..._ ' Naruto silently complained.

Green orbs flitted to his direction. He narrowed his eyes. "What is she planning...?" He muttered under his breath. The pink-haired girl run to his direction. "Ohayo, Sakur - " He tried to greet her, but she shoved him away.

"Move it, Naruto!" Sakura stared at the Uchiha seated on the opposite side of the table. Red dusted her cheeks. "Sasuke-kun~~" The boy being addressed tilted his head towards her. "Can I sit next to you?"

"Hey!" Yamanaka Ino complained. " _I'm_ going to sit next to him."

"First come, first serve!"

"I came into the classroom before you!"

"I did!" One of Sasuke's fangirl's shouted.

"If that's the case, _I_ did."

Thus, the screaming match between the kunoichi of the class began. ' _Their all so annoying..._ '. Sasuke hid his annoyance.

Naruto stood up, dusting himself. "Just because he's the last Uchiha, it doesn't make him special." He grumbled under his breath. He felt a cold chill travel down his spine. ' _Killing intent?_ ' He looked around wondering where such intent came from in a class full of genin.

"What did you just say, Naruto-baka?" Haruno Sakura raised her fist.

"Yeah, say that again?" The Yamanaka followed suit.

He stared at the rest of the fangirls of Uchiha Sasuke, all emitting the terrifying aura.

' _Crap._ '

* * *

Naruto was bruised all over.

Fangirls were _terrifying_. Their punches were _damn_ powerful. Not to mention _painful_. The only problem was that they slacked off during training. The blonde Uzumaki inwardly shuddered at the thought of _trained_ fangirls.

He glanced at the pink-haired girl beside him from the corner of his eyes. ' _Scary..._ ' He inched his seat further away from the Haruno.

Haruno Sakura had by far the most painful punch. The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki had little to no doubt that she would go far if she took the shinobi world more seriously. He bet that if Sakura acted more like a proper kunoichi, she could become on par, if not better than the Slug Sannin, Senju Tsunade, when it comes to strongest punch.

' _May Kami have mercy on the soul of whichever man ends up marrying..._ ' Naruto spotted Uchiha Sasuke's dark hair in his peripheral vision. ' _Unless he's Sasuke..._ '

"Team 7..." Iruka's voice brought the blonde boy out of his train of thoughts. "Naruto Uzumaki..."

Naruto blinked. He sure was lucky to have been cut out of his musings at that opportune moment. Really, was he lucky or what?

"Haruno Sakura..."

The green-eyed girl slammed her head on the desk. ' _I'm doomed..._ '

The blonde genin eyed the pink mop of hair beside him. "Don't you think you're overreacting?" He grumbled in annoyance. Luckily for Naruto's health, his words were left unheard by the Haruno who was to busy drowning herself in self-pity.

"And Uchiha Sasuke..."

Sakura immediately stood up and cheerfully posed, her index and middle finger split it a 'V'. "Haha!" She cheered. "True love always prevails!"

"No way!" Ino protested from behind her.

Naruto stared at her with something akin to awe. ' _Wow...I don't think there's anyone who could change their moods as quickly as her_ _._ '

* * *

In another time, one Senju Hashirama let out a loud sneeze.

* * *

"He's late!" Sakura complained, pacing around the classroom. The Haruno had long since forgone leaning against a desk, trying to patiently wait for their sensei. "Why is he the only one late?! Even Iruka-sensei went home."

Naruto stopped shuffling his seals written on paper. He looked at the pink-haired girl who had given up pacing and returned to her original position of leaning on a desk.

He glanced at the seals he created. Most were different varieties of storage seals. Some were modified exploding tags. But, of course, true to his Uzumaki lineage, He had thrown in some seals he'd use for pranking.

He recoiled at the memory of once trying to prank his pink-haired team mate. He shuddered, phantom pains spreading across his body. Dyeing the Haruno's hair as well as her clothes orange had not been his most brilliant idea. In fact, it was one of the dumbest.

He would've escaped with less injuries if he had done that prank to the ANBU instead.

His eyes flitted to his dark-haired team mate.

There was a time when Naruto had envied the Uchiha and the attention and love he got. Although...after seeing his fangirls try to smother him during Valentine's Day, Naruto decided it would be best if he was jealous over someone else.

He had wanted to befriend Sasuke once, but the boy pushed him back. So he did. Instead, the Uzumaki buried himself in Fuuinjutsu and books, his escapes from the world.

Naruto was aware of what happened during the Uchiha Massacre, however if people tried to recall how Uchiha Itachi acted, they'd notice that his radical actions didn't add up.

Sasuke was just blind, despite his clan's pride in their eyes, he only saw what he wanted to see.

He believed that nobody understood his pain. He believed that he could do everything alone.

 _He was foolish._

After all his musings, Naruto finally found the perfect seal.

He snickered and stood up from his seat. He planted the piece of paper on the floor, directly in front of the door.

"Hey, Naruto." Sakura frowned at him. "What are you doing? And where did you get that?"

The Uzumaki left her questions unanswered and returned to his seat, waiting for their sensei to arrive.

As if by some summoning, the door slid open and Naruto activated the seal.

Chalk powder exploded all over the figure.

Naruto laughed. He knew this was Hatake Kakashi based on his chakra signature. He recalled this man as one of the few ninjas he had a hard time evading.

"Naruto!" Sakura admonished, trying to impress both her sensei and Sasuke with her maturity.

Sasuke eyed the silver-haired Jounin. ' _For real? This guy's a Jounin?_ '

The man covered in chalk powder looked at the three occupants. "Maa, maa...My first impression of you guys are...I hate you."

Naruto and Sakura visibly wilted at his bluntness while Sasuke tilted his head into his clasped hands.

"Meet me at the roof." The Jounin executed a quick Shunshin.

Naruto stared at the spot where the Hatake had originally stood. "I have an ominous feeling that I'll end up trying to kill that guy..."

* * *

"Let's see...why don't you three introduce yourselves?"

"Introduce ourselves?" Saukra question. She thought they'd go directly to training. "Like what?"

"What you like, hate, your dreams and hobbies." Kakashi supplied. "Something like that..."

Naruto frowned. "Why don't _you_ go first?"

"Me?" The man in question pointed to himself. "I'm Hatake Kakashi. I have no intention of telling you my likes and dislikes. As for my dream..." He drifted off, inwardly enjoying the three's, although one was just a minute twitch of the eyebrow, annoyed expressions. "I have a few hobbies."

"So all we know is his name." Sakura grumbled.

"You start, Pinky."

Sakura looked affronted with the nickname their Sensei gave her, but she plowed on nonetheless. "My name is Haruno Sakura! I like...well, the person I like is..." She gazed adoringly at Sasuke. "And my hobby is...well, my dream is to..." She squealed, placing her head in between her knees.

"And what you hate is...?"

Sakura glanced at the blonde boy. "Naruto."

"Aw, c'mon!" Naruto complained. "It was _one_ prank!"

"Hmph." Sakura looked away from the grumbling boy.

Kakashi watched the scene with mild interest. "Okay, next."

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. There are many things that I hate, and there aren't a lot of things that I like." A sudden intense aura surrounded the boy. "I also have an ambition that I have no intention to leave as just a dream. the revival of my clan and to kill...a certain man."

Naruto eyed the boy, warily. He proceeded to introduce himself to dissipate the tense atmosphere. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto!" With that, the gloomy aura vanished. "I like ramen and a bunch of other neat things!" He thought it was best to be vague. "I don't like the three minutes it takes for cup ramen to cook and..." He drifted off, but quickly continued. "I like doing a lot of things! My dream..." His blue eyes turned electric. Determination imprinted on every inch of his face. "Is to become Hokage!" _And make my parents proud_ , was left unsaid.

"Right," Kakashi explained that they had to pass another test to be taken the next day.

The three genin paled further and further as each piece of information their sensei fed them sank in.

The Hatake was about to leave, when he added an afterthought. "Don't eat breakfast, you'll throw up if you do." And with that, he vanished.

* * *

"YOU'RE LATE!" Sakura shouted.

"A black cat crossed my path, so I had to take the long way." Kakashi gave them his signature eye-smile.

Naruto dead-panned at the pan. ' _Seriously?_ '

The Uzumaki would've been more irate if he hadn't eaten a lot for his 'late night snack'. It wasn't really disobeying the Jounin's orders per se. He didn't eat breakfast, only a heavy 'late night snack'.

Plus, the specfic ord...ers...

"Dammit!" Naruto suddenly cursed loudly.

"Is there a problem, Naruto?" Kakashi questioned.

" _You're_ the problem, you scarecrow! You tricked us!"

"Oh?" A silver eyebrow was raised. "I did?"

"Naruto, what are you talking about?" Sakura furrowed her eyebrows at him.

"Kakashi didn't give us orders." Naruto pointed out. "He _suggested_ that we don't eat breakfast because we _might_ throw up."

Comprehension dawned on Sakura's and Sasuke's face, though Sasuke only expressed it through the slight widening of his eyes.

"Right!" The silver-haired man clapped his hands together. Hemoved toward the timer positioned on top of a log. "This timer is set on noon. You have an hour to take these bells - " He lifted two silver bells. " - from me and if you do, you pass."

"But sensei," Sakura started. "There are only two bells."

"Then I suppose that means that only two of you can pass..." He gave them an eye-smile. "Right. Ready, set - "

He was interrupted when Naruto attempted to charge at him. Faster than the genin can follow, he appeared behind the Uzumaki and caught his hand holding the kunai.

"I didn't say go yet." He clicked his tongue. Kakashi had honestly expected more from the son of the his own sensei. He threw the Uzumaki back. "Go!"

The three genin disappeared into the foliage.

* * *

Naruto let out a small smile.

Kakashi had fallen for his plan. While the Hatake had gripped him, he planted his Hiraishin seal on the man's sleeve. Although, that was just his last resort. He didn't consider it as extreme, it's just...There was no way in hell that he was going to get sent back to the Academy. _No way_.

He fiddled the small seals he had in his pocket. His plan was simple in thought, executing it, on the other hand, was an entirely different matter.

Naruto summoned six shadow clones and handed each of them a seal. They immediately set off, knowing that time played a huge factor in this plan. It made it riskier, but, hey, this was Uzumaki Naruto. If anyone could pull this off, then it would most definitely be him.

A shrill shriek broke through the air, scattering the birds nearby. He quickly pulled out a kunai tagged with an explosive seal from the kunai holster strapped on his left leg. His arm was tense, itching to throw the kunai and finally start his strategy.

One of his clones popped, informing him of Sasuke's defeat. Kakashi leisurely strolled back into the clearing, his book in hand.

Naruto let a devious smirk quirk his lips upward. He threw the kunai and watched it explode. A series of smaller explosions followed subsequently. The blonde genin could practically feel the confusion radiating off the Hatake. The Hatake without a doubt was tense and ready for battle, his senses of high alert.

After all, what normal genin could possibly create an explosion so big that it tore down the first three row of trees from the explosion occurred? Then again...Naruto was _far_ from normal.

Plus, the fun was just beginning.

* * *

 _ **I'm back! (Not that anybody cares XD)**_

 _ **Anyway, I've disappeared the past, what? Month? Month and a half? I honestly lost track. Long story short, my main reason: Life.**_

 _ **I know I said that I'd write the Bell Test in one chapter, but I really wanted to post a new chapter since I have no idea when I'll be able to do so another time.**_

 _ **So...Don't expect a quick update.**_

 _ **The follows, favorites and REVIEWS make my day. Especially reviews. (Yeah, definitely subtle)**_

 ** _But seriously, thank you all so much!_**


	4. Chapter 4

Naruto let out a mischievous smirk as he flew through the foliage, readying himself for the second phase of his plan.

He landed on a steady branch and quickly tossed another kunai wrapped with an explosive tag into the general direction of the silver-haired Jounin.

The Uzumaki looked up just in time to see the Hatake dodge the explosion jump back into the once-peaceful clearing turned into destroyed battle ground. He could practically feel the confusion of the Hatake. After all, what he used was no ordinary explosive tag. It was one he designed and made up himself.

He caught a flash of orange in his peripheral vision. Naruto gave his clone a brisk nod and the clone jumped out into the clearing, a 'kunai' in hand.

Naruto felt memories that weren't his filter into his mind, informing him of the location of his female team mate. Another shortly followed, but this time of the last Uchiha's.

He quickly left his current position, going towards where Sasuke was before the Jounin arrived to set up seals around the perimeter and in hopes of landing a surprise attack on the Jounin while the man would focus his attention on the dark-haired boy.

* * *

The clearing, itself, was littered with craters with little to no gaps in between each depression. Broken and jagged pieces of wood were scattered around the area.

In the middle of it all, stood one unscathed Hatake Kakashi's clone, his form tense and ready for battle. His uncovered eye darted around the training grounds searching for the blonde perpetrator. His eye narrowed into slits as he caught Naruto's shadow clone in a clock choke. "Drop your kunai now." He ordered.

The clone let out a chuckle, "Sure thing, Sensei." And did as he was told.

When the 'kunai' was dropped, it quickly unhenged into another clone and tried to kick the Hatake square in the jaw. He barely managed to graze it though, as Kakashi jerked his head to the side to avoid the damage.

The duo leaped away from their opponent, a victorious smirk dancing across their features despite how small their success was.

Clone-Kakashi brushed his hand against his jaw where the Naruto's clone had almost hit him, while the other reached down to subtly check if the bells were still tied to his hip. They were.

He let out an almost indiscernible smile. It seemed that Naruto was taking this test a bit more seriously than he had originally thought.

But, unfortunately, the masked Jounin was not going down so easily. He quickly pulled out two shurikens from his pouch and sent them towards the duo's way in a speed that gave the two no time to react, causing them to pop out of existence.

He cracked his neck. Now, find the other two Genin and the _real_ Naruto.

Naruto nearly toppled off as he jumped from one branch to another at the sudden influx of memory which jumbled his mind.

 _Crap_ , he mentally slapped his forehead. He knew Kakashi was good, but he didn't think he was _that_ good.

"Dammit," He cursed. He winced when more memories came flooding to him from the other shadow clone he had sent to Saukra's location, followed by the shrill shriek of the said girl, coming from somewhere to his right. Well, that was definitely one team mate out.

A sudden thought occurred to him. He let out a frown as he analyzed the earlier battle with Kakashi. His left eye twitched when he realized the Jounin had yet to reveal his _true_ abilities. All Kakashi had done was show he could avoid and dodge Naruto's traps, and throw weapons quickly.

He gritted his teeth in slight frustration. If his analysis was correct, the 'Kakashi' his clones have been fighting was a shadow clone. The clone was probably theone who intercepted Sakura.

A small growl made its way up his throat as he launched himself closer towards where Sasuke and, likely, the _real_ Kakashi were already fighting.

Kakashi looked down at Sasuke. The Uchiha was grinding his teeth as he tried to free his trapped body from the ground to no avail.

Before he was able to say something to the younger boy, a sudden flare of chakra caused him to flick his eyes towards the trees. Naruto's chakra seemed agitated. It was fluctuating as if the Uzumaki was trying to rein it in, but failing to restrain it continuously.

Kakashi readied himself, sparing a glance at Sasuke. The boy had to be taken down a peg or a little, and showing Naruto's competency could possibly help.

The boy burst out of the trees and proceeded to attack Kakashi with an almost reckless fervor, but his attempts were utterly thwarted by the silver-haired man.

As Naruto tried to pull out a kunai, Kakashi threw one of his own to stop his hand from reaching into his pouch.

When Naruto tried to activate a seal, Kakashi would appear in front of him and throw him to the side.

And no matter how many times he reached out to capture the bells, he. Was. Always. _Blocked_.

Naruto felt annoyance prickle under his skin as another attempt was denied. He was all, but itching to wipe the blank, almost bored look, on Kakashi's face.

He unconsciously reached out for the familiar feeling of the Hiraishin seal, before stopping himself completely. Abruptly remembering the promise he had made to the his Jiji.

He bit his tongue in order to silence the curses threatening to pour out of his lips. If only the Hokage hadn't told him off for using the seal unless there was a dire, _dire_ emergency. It was completely annoying, _dattebayo_!

Naruto stopped in his tracks. His verbal tic only resurfaced when he started becoming overly-emotional which, he had come to realize after countless failures while practicing Fuuinjutsu, meant he had ceased thinking reasonably and has probably began to toss away all sense of logic and rationality.

He closed his eyes for a moment before opening them and proceeded to meticulously analyze how to end the battle with the best possible outcome for himself, considering Sasuke's rather unfortunate predicament.

Kakashi sucked in a breath at the steely glint in Naruto's calculating, blue eyes.

It was clear as day to him who the blonde boy's parents were. The villagers would have to be blind so as not to see the uncanny resemblance between the late-Yondaime and Naruto. Well, either that or they were in a ridiculous state of denial.

Naruto gave a small resolute nod to himself before turning around and running towards a tree, surprising both Kakashi and Sasuke, _who was still very much stuck in the ground_.

The blonde Uzumaki abruptly jumped and kicked off the tree, using his chakra to boost his speed. His hand was clenched in a fist and glowed with blue chakra.

Kakashi readied himself to receive the chakra-enhanced punch when Naruto's hand quickly swiped down.

Kakashi's eye widened realizing that Naruto's aim had not been to cause damage to him but, to capture the bells all along.

' _He charged his hand with chakra not to strengthen it, but to increase his_ speed.' Kakashi truly should not have expected any less from the blonde boy. ' _But unfortunately..._ '

"Time's up!" He cheerily announced, ignoring Naruto's sudden drop from the air. "All of you failed to retrieve a single bell – "

Naruto spluttered, raising a silver bell. "B-But I managed to get one – "

Kakashi turned to him, giving an eye-smile. " – before the time limit." He then clapped his hands together. "Let's head back, shall we?"

Sakura lowered her head in shame, not even bothering to fight against the rope that tied her to the log.

"So, all of you are hungry, eh?" Kakashi eyed them one-by-one after hearing their stomachs growl, albeit Naruto's was less audible. "Ah, by the way, about the results of this training..."

The three of them looked at him with varying degrees of apprehension and wariness.

"None of you need to return to the Ninja Academy."

Sakura let out a confused sound. "But all I did was faint..." She proceeded to ignore her previous statement and started cheering. "We aren't going back to the Academy!"

Sasuke let out an almost relieved sigh at the prospect.

"That sounds too good to be true..." Naruto mumbled.

"Naruto's right." Kakashi let the words ring in their ears for a moment, silence dropping like a curtain. "All three of you...should just quit being a ninja!"

"Called it." Naruto muttered in a grim, subdued voice. He let out a pained grimace as Sasuke charged towards Kakashi, only to be shut down and pushed to the ground.

"Tell me, what do you think is the true meaning of this test?" He asked

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Sakura frowned.

Kakashi turned his head expectantly at Naruto. "Did you know the reason why you failed?"

Naruto kept silent, unsure of how to respond.

The Hatake let out a disappointed sigh and answered, "Teamwork. The answer was teamwork."

"B-But," Sakura tried to reason. "How were we supposed to work together if one of us had to be sent back?"

"Do you know why you were placed in teams in the first place?" Kakashi shook his head. "It doesn't matter now even if you've realized it. If all three of you had worked together, maybe you could have gotten the bells in time."

He turned his head to regard each of them. "Sasuke, you considered yourself above your team mates and never took into account that perhaps this was something you couldn't do alone."

"Sakura! You only cared about Sasuke and refused to even acknowledge Naruto. You didn't even sense the minor genjustu I put you in, much less even put up a fight.

"And Naruto, I have to say, I'm disappointed in you the most."

Naruto's eyes widened as if he had been hit by a kunai. "Wha – "

"You let your emotions dictate your actions more than half of the time. You, despite being able to use your clones to bring your team mates together, chose to fight alone at the end. You're supposed to be the dead last of this class. Did you really think you can take me on by yourself?"

Naruto had a hard time swallowing his saliva. He opened his mouth, but his words to defend himself died in his throat at the sight of Kakashi's discontented eye.

"Well-developed individual abilities matter, but teamwork is much more important. A single action that disrupts the teamwork could result in danger or even death for the team mates."

Kakashi pulled out a kunai and placed it against the Uchiha's neck. "Naruto! Kill Sakura or Sasuke will die."

The tension surrounding them was thick. Sakura was shaking in fear and Naruto was frozen in shock. Sasuke stiffened at the touch of the kunai's blade against his neck.

Kakashi sighed and pulled away. He walked towards the Memorial Stone and proceeded to tell them about the dangers that a shinobi faces in every mission and the countless deaths that have happened.

All three of the Genin slowly became sombre and contemplative as Kakashi spoke further and further.

"Okay," Kakashi turned around. "I'll give all of you one last chance. So eat up," The three of them looked at him determinedly. "But you shouldn't feed Sakura." He warned, then disappeared in a whirl of leaves.

After a couple of minutes spent in silence, Sasuke tightened his hold on his chopsticks and bento before shoving them towards Sakura's direction. "Here," he said begrudgingly. "You won't be of any use to us if you're hungry."

Sakura's surprise faded into happiness at the actions of the Uchiha. "Sasuke-kun, I..." Recalling Kakashi's words she shook her head. "...I can't. I won't let Kakashi fail you because you tried giving me food."

"No, Sasuke's right." Naruto piped in, his voice still unusually subdued. His eyes were fixated on the grass in front of them, not looking at any of his team mates in the eye. "You should eat. It's like the breakfast thing all over again."

Sakura, although heavily reluctant, accepted the food Sasuke gave to her via chopsticks, savouring every taste of it.

Naruto bit his lip. "I'm sorry for leaving the two of you alone earlier, when I could have helped – "

Then lightning flashed as Kakashi appeared out of nowhere, towering over them. " _You guys..._ " The three of them tensed. "Pass." He let out a disarming eye-smile.

He told them that defying orders to save a team mate is what every ninja should do. "Those who break the rules are trash. But those who abandon their comrades behind are worse than trash."

"Congratulations, Team 7. You are now official Genin of Konohagakure."

Naruto laid in bed awake, mulling over the things that had occurred during Kakashi's test.

He stretched his arms before crossing them and resting them above his head. "Teamwork, huh?" He asked no one in particular. He let out a sigh before shifting to his side and wrapping his blanket tighter against his body.

Being with people you're supposed to trust fully – having someone always have your back – had always been such a foreign concept to the boy.

But, that could possibly change soon enough.

' _That...would be nice,_ ' was Naruto's last thought before succumbing to the blissful call of sleep.


End file.
